Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0010200 (cough)
 23,843 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The red tide toxin produced by Ptychodiscus brevis becomes airborne by the thrashing action of the surf and wind and induces cough, rhinorrhea, watery eyes, and sneezing in normal humans and wheezing in asthmatic patients. The mechanism of the contractile response induced by P. brevis toxin (PBTX) was investigated with isolated canine tracheal smooth muscle. Tetrodotoxin and atropine blocked the contractile effect of PBTX, and neostigmine potentiated the contraction. Mepyramine, phentolamine, methysergide, and chlorisondamine did not inhibit the effect of PBTX. This is the first description of a naturally occurring airborne substance that causes smooth muscle contraction by stimulating the axon sodium channels, resulting in the release of acetylcholine at postganglionic parasympathetic efferent nerve endings. The in vitro effect of PBTX on canine tracheal smooth muscle indicates that PBTX is capable of causing respiratory irritation and thus may precipitate an asthmatic attack. It is possible, however, that the mechanism is vivo may also include stimulation of a cough receptor reflex and/or stimulation of sodium channels of afferent vagus nerve fibers. In vitro evidence suggests that isoproterenol, atropine, and verapamil may be used to eliminate or prevent the respiratory symptoms that follow exposure to airborne red tide toxin. The use of high-pressure liquid chromatography separated fractions indicates that the neurotoxic component, not the hemolytic component, is responsible for contractions.
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PMID:Effects of toxin of red tide, Ptychodiscus brevis, on canine tracheal smooth muscle: a possible new asthma-triggering mechanism. 720 Apr 98

Mepyramine-theophylline-acetate (MTA), a theophylline derivative combined with an antihistamine, is used to treat patients with asthma. A double-blind, randomized, prospective, parallel-group study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of MTA in the treatment of asthmatic crisis in children 2 to 6 years of age. Forty patients with mild-to-moderate asthma were admitted to the study. The MTA group received 8 mg/kg per day of MTA by mouth in three divided doses for 7 days. The other group received 50 microL/kg per day of placebo in three divided doses for 7 days. Salbutamol (albuterol) syrup was used as the rescue drug if manifestations of asthma persisted. Both the MTA group and the placebo group had similar demographic characteristics at baseline. Both groups showed improvement of the asthma symptoms (cough, dyspnea, hypoventilation, and wheezing), as evaluated by the investigators at days 3 and 7. Patient diary scores showed earlier improvements in the MTA group than in the placebo group. Both groups showed improvement in peak flow at days 3 and 7 (P = 0.005). The control group used more doses of salbutamol than the MTA group on days 2 through 6 and globally (mean +/- SD, 6.79 +/- 9.11 doses vs 1.29 +/- 2.23 doses). The improvements in the placebo group were thought to be due to salbutamol. Three MTA patients dropped out of the trial, one because the parents felt that the treatment was not effective and two because of gastrointestinal manifestations (epigastric discomfort and vomiting). In the placebo group, two patients dropped out. One patient had epigastric discomfort and the other had to be treated in the emergency department for an exacerbation of the asthma. We conclude that MTA may be a good therapeutic option for the treatment of asthmatic crisis in children 2 to 6 years of age.
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PMID:Efficacy and safety of mepyramine-theophylline-acetate in the treatment of asthmatic crisis in children. 856 34